BABY SIGN -- anyone had a go at it

9 replies

livysmum · 06/02/2007 22:24

I'm really thinking about trying to teach my 5.5 month old baby sing when she turns 6months which is when they say you can start it from. It all sounds lovely and wonderful being able to communicate with your baby from a young age.

Has anyone on this site ever givin it a go? just looking for any imput on the idea or experiences people have had with the concept. THANKS!!!

OP posts:

fransmom · 06/02/2007 22:26

hello livysmum, although i've been trying to teach dd the few signs i remember from bsl course a few years back, i haven't tried baby sign but i have bought a set of 3books from ottakars (now waterstones) with some signs in. they have clear pictures and are set out quite well, i can't remember off-hand what they are called but dd enjoys using them as well. hth. fm x

wangle99 · 07/02/2007 07:13

I taught my son signs, I started at 5.5 months and he did his first one back at 10 months. By 20 months he was using so many it was fantastic!

He is now 3 and has amazing speech, whether this is because we signed to him who knows (although my friends who have signed and seen the same results).

What you will find amazing is what they can actually tell you ie at 15 months old DS fell over and signed pain by his ankle!!

Any more questions please ask!

claricebean · 07/02/2007 08:23

We've signed with our three DC and will sign with number four, due in April. We started with each of them at about 7 months, and they started signing back around 10 months. DS (just 2) still uses some signs, especially if he wants to emphasise a point he doesn't think he's getting across, e.g. "want more, Want MORE, WANT MORE (plus sign for more)", or for trickier words like medicine.

You have to have willpower in the first few months, when you get nothing back. But when they make their first sign, it's fantastic. Also a good way to get older siblings involved as our two DDs loved teaching their brother to sign.

Also, it works better if all carers consistently use the signs.

abgirl · 07/02/2007 11:23

Hi, my best friend has become a sing and sign teacher and we regularly sign with our DS. We have found it a fantastic and enjoyable way of communicating with him, and he is well ahead of a lot of his peers with his language development. DS uses a lot of signs but talks as well and will use a sign if we don't understand what he is saying i.e. the other day he was watching teletubbies and saying what I thought was 'bubbies' and was correcting him and saying 'teletubbies', he then turned round to me, made the correct sign and said 'No, bunnies' - was v v cute!!

All in all would really recommend it, and is a good social activity - the classes can be expensive though so shop around..

Browny · 07/02/2007 11:33

Hi Livysmum, I taught my son to sign by using the Sing and Sign dvds, you can buy them from their website. I did want to go to a baby signing class but there just weren't any in my area. I found it so enjoyable, I started teaching him the signs when he was about 8 months old and he first signed back to me when he was 10 months old. His first sign was "more", then "milk", "juice", "food" and "water". Everyone was amazed when he was signing what he needed and I know it helped enormously to avoid tantrums because he could tell me what he needed. You do have to repeat the signs constantly and I do mean constantly and you might get some odd looks when you're out n the supermarket. You might think that he's not ever going to sign back, but then suddenly they do and it's amazing! My son is now 2 and half and everyone comments on how good his speach is for his age, he can hold a proper conversation with you and his sentences are quite complex sometimes, he's always amazing me... I just wish I'd signed to my other three children.

Have a look on www.signandsign.com, the dvds are really good and he still asks to watch them. I miss seeing him sign now, I'm glad I videoed him when he was tiny. Go for it, you'll love it!

EllieHsMum · 07/02/2007 11:50

Hi
I take my dd every wednesday to baby signing classes. We learn new signs each week, its great for socialising for both me & dd. She now understand the sign for 'milk' which is handy. Its all about having fun for me, and if we learn signs which help us to understand each other thats a bonus.

feetheart · 07/02/2007 13:28

Do it, do it do it, its brilliant

Signed with DD (nearly 4) and currently signing with DS (15mths)
Agree with others that you need to be reasonably consistant and it does seem to take ages to get the first sign back (though really it was only 3-4mths!) However when it clicks they seem to soak up signs like sponges. DD talked early and started to drop signs then. Ds is going to talk later, has already overtaken DD in the number of signs he uses and is testing my creativity/memory/ability to find out signs.

Its good fun and a great way to interact/play with your baby.

fransmom · 07/02/2007 13:43

hi the books i posted about are called "sign about" and are by child's play. there is also a website have a look, see what you think

Sparkler1 · 07/02/2007 13:44

Sorry to interrupt ladies. Just wanted to let you know that I am selling three items for baby signing if anyone interested. They are really lovely.
Two WOW baby board books - Feelings and First Words and the WOW Toy. You can find them at the bottom of the list on this link.

I only want £12 for them plus P&P. They are new. Still in packaging. I used to sell kids books and they are left over from my kit. Let me know if interested.

signing books and toy

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